Folding box or crate.



No. 792,383. PATENTBD JUNE 13, 1905. J. AMBNDT.

FOLDING BOX 0B. CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 11, 1904.

85 r/ gl I I UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FOLDING BOX OR CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,383, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed October 1l, 1904:. Serial No. 228.000.

T all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH AMENDT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Blairsville, in the county of Indiana and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes or Crates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in folding boxes and crates, and has for its object the provision of a novel form of box which can be folded into a compact form, whereby the same may be readily transported.

Another object of this invention is to construct a box or crate which is particularly adapted for merchandise that is to be transported a considerable distance, and I have so constructed the box whereby when it has reached its destination it can be folded into a compact form and returned to the original owners for use again.

In providing my improved box I have constructed the same whereby it will be strong and durable to withstand the rough usage to which boxes of this character are generally subjected.

Vith the above and other objects inl view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and, referring to the drawings accompanying this application, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which*A Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved box or crate. Fig. 2 is a s ide elevation of the same when folded, and Fig. 3 is an end view of the same.

In the accompanying drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates the base or bottom of my improved box, and to the one side of this base a strip 2, which is provided with hinges 3 3, is secured, that pivotally secure the side 4 to the strip 2. The opposite side or edge of the plate l has a side 5, which constitutes the front of the box, hinged thereto, as indicated at 6. The bottom or plate 1 of l the box is provided with angle-irons 7 7, which when the sides 4 and 5 are in a vertical position are adapted to engage cleats 8 and 9, carried by the strip 2 and the side 5, respectively. The side 4 is also provided with cleats 10 10, and to the top of these cleats is hinged, as indicated at 11 11, a lid or cover 12.

To the ends of the plate or bottom 1 are hinged the ends 14 14, as indicated at 15 15. The inner edges of these ends are provided with cleats 16 16 and the outer edges are provided with angular strips 17 17, which when the ends are in a vertical position are adapted to engage the ends of the sides 4 and 5. Each one of the cleats is provided with an eyelet 18, and the inner face of the sides 4 and 5 adjacent to the ends thereof are provided with pivoted hooks 19, which when the ends of said box are in engagement with the sides and in a vertical position are adapted to engage in the eyelets 1 8 and lock the ends 14 14 in engagement with the sides 4 and 5, forming a rectangular receptacle or box.

The lid or cover 12 upon its one edge and ends is provided with angle-irons 20 20 2l 21, which are adapted to engage the sides and ends of the box when the lid or cover is closed. This lid or cover is also provided with a hasp 22, which is adapted to engage over a staple 23, carried by the front side 5 of the box. To the under face of the lid or cover 12 is secured a strap 24, which when the box is in a folded form is employed to retain said box in a compact form, said strap being provided with a buckle 23, whereby the ends of said strap may be secured together.

The manner of folding my improved box is as follows: When the hooks 19 have been disengaged from the eyelets 18, the side 5 is folded in upon the bottom or base plate 1, the top edge of the front side 5 being cut away, as indicated at 25,25, to permit of the clearance of this edge of the side with `the hinges 3 3. The side 4 is thenl folded upon the side 5 and the lid or cover 12 folded back upon the outer side of the side 4. The box is then inverted or turned over and the ends 14 14 folded upon the bottom of the baseplate 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The strap 24 is then placed around IOO the folded members of the boX and the ends of said strap buckled together, whereby the sides and ends will be secured together in a compact form, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Then in a folded form, the boX is particularly adapted for a return shipment, and a number of these folded boxes can be packed in one of the boxes that is in position to receive merchandise and the like. The angular strips 17 17 and the angle-irons 7 2O 21 are employed to protect the edges of the box when being used, and it will be seen by the construction of the box that the features employed for folding the same may be readily employed upon a crate, and while I have herein shown the preferred form of construction it is obvious that Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box of the type set forth, comprising a base, a strip rigidly secured to one side of the base, a side hinged to said strip and folding' inwardly, a side hinged to the base on the opposite side of the base to said strip, ends hinged to said base and folding outwardly therefrom, cleats carried by the side which is hinged to said strip and projecting above said side, a top hinged to said cleats, angle-irons carried by the ends and embracing the sides, and vangle-irons carried by the top and embracing said ends.

2. A box of the type set forth, comprising a base-plate, a strip rigidly secured to one side of the base-plate, a side hinged to said strip, a side hinged to the base-plate on the opposite side to said strip, ends hinged to said base-plate, a lid hinged to said first-named side, said ends being adapted to rest within said sides when said ends and said sides are in a raised position, angle-irons carried by the ends and adapted to embrace the sides, and angle-irons carried by the lid and adapted to engage the ends and one of said sides.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH AMEN DT.

NIitnesses:

HUBERT AMENDT, JOSEPH J. ELBERT. 

